When is 26 too old now a days? Players like Garnett, Nash, Pierce, Allen, etc are still doing pretty well in their mid 30's. Howard looks like he keeps himself in excellent condition. He's missed a total of 7 games in 7 years! Sure he gets abused in the paint, but even Shaq was dominant in his 30's.

Howard is the cream of the crop. By far the best big man in the league. If the Raptors even have a chance at him you go for it. I'd give up Derozan, Amir and JV in a trade for him in a flash.

The downside is if Orlando is going to give up Howard, they will also be giving you Turk or Arenas. No way in hell is Turk coming back. So we would be stuck with Arenas for a few years as well which would be a huge burden.

Im not being condescending and this is a legit question, why not Derozan? Kobe and Gasol i think played pretty good.

But isnt Howard too old to be the main part of a rebuild?

hahaha yeah. they better name more than burgers and convince the guy to stay as much as they can.
but on the flipside, maybe its howard who's getting those two off their game....and im saying maybe.

I would think the team would want to take a 'orlando' like approach and make sure everyone on the floor can hit a 3 as to make it harder for Dwight to be doubled and punish anyone who tries to double team dwight.

It has nothing to do with Derozan so much as it has alot to do with what Derozan can't do.

The downside is if Orlando is going to give up Howard, they will also be giving you Turk or Arenas. No way in hell is Turk coming back. So we would be stuck with Arenas for a few years as well which would be a huge burden.

I don't know who could put together a package to take both Howard and Arenas. Together they total more then $37million in 2012/2013. In order for us to put together a package to acquire those two, it would require something along the lines of the following:

The only way we could put together a package for this two, would be to include both Bargnani and Calderon, which would weaken any package we have.

But, this would be a similar problem that any team in the league would have. The only team I could think of who could pull off this type of trade would be Sacramento due to their salary space. Sacramento could pull off the trade with a package of (Cousins, Evans, Hickson, and Jimmer). But would Sacramento make such a move to give up their entire core to take on Howard and the albatross contract of Arenas.

Nobody mentioned the part where he said he cries on the bench with a towel over his head. Other players that have been around these parts have been torn apart for the assumption they cry in the dressing room. Do you guys really want a crier on this team?

hahahaha thats exactly what i thought too. "Its not you, its me" hahaha

Reminds me of a George Costanza breakup scene with the girlfriend when she gave him that byebye. He went apoplectic shouting back at her "Dont YOU give me that line...that's supposed to be MY line"!

I think he has seen the writing of the new cba which with the albatrosses of agent Zero and Hedo, will not allow for a Chris Paul or Williams to hook up with him. He will need to go to them than the other way around... most likely.

I don't know who could put together a package to take both Howard and Arenas.

The Lakers could easily do it. Gasol & Bynum, or Bynum, Odom & World Peace... lots of of different combos actually. I think that's why the media has been all over Howard to the Lakers. This is the most likely destination for him in my opinion as well.

Shantz wrote:

The only way we could put together a package for this two, would be to include both Bargnani and Calderon, which would weaken any package we have.

Yes that's true. A majority of our cap space is tied up in Bargnani and Calderon. The only way to get Howard to Toronto would be to include a 3rd or even 4th team, and that just makes it exponentially harder for this to happen. But I'm just saying that if Howard wanted to come to Toronto then I'd jump on that chance and would do whatever it took to make it happen.

Shantz wrote:

But, this would be a similar problem that any team in the league would have. The only team I could think of who could pull off this type of trade would be Sacramento due to their salary space. Sacramento could pull off the trade with a package of (Cousins, Evans, Hickson, and Jimmer). But would Sacramento make such a move to give up their entire core to take on Howard and the albatross contract of Arenas.

For any other team outside of perhaps Toronto, Phoenix and Portland you could use Turk instead of Arenas. That makes the trade so much easier for another team. If you swapped Arenas for Turk in your Sacramento scenario you shave off $8 million from the trade, which makes it an easier transaction. Just not sure if Howard would want to play there.

Is there even a slight, speckle, grain of hope that Dwight Howard will sign with the Raps when he becomes a free agent?

Good, Bad, Idiotic and Sarcastic comments are all welcomed. hehehe.

Bargnani has a better chance at averaging a double double whenever the next season happens.

Here's an idea for D12 when he is asking himself what else is there to do in Orlando. How about winning a title? The Raptors at least got something for Bosh. If Howard leaves its under a new CBA and S&T probably won't exist... They should try and trade him now. As soon as there is a new CBA. They should be talking to owners about it right now.

I highly doubt Howard would sign in Toronto. But if he did, Bargnani suddenly makes sense and Derozan no longer does (unless he can suddenly hit a 3 ofcourse).

I don't think it will happen BUT I've always thought Bargnani paired with Howard would make a lot of sense, always wondered if a trade could be swung with Orlando to get some interesting pieces back for Bargs (Redick and Anderson, maybe?).

Anyways, I wouldn't cash out on Derozan. I think his 3-point shot will develop, and then he will mesh with Howard all the more.

Howard to the Lakers makes the most sense, because he says he wants to play somewhere warm, and in a big market, and for a winning, contending team. The Lakers could trade Bynum for him, giving Orlando a good return, or at least better than they got for Shaq. I think Howard has actually said he wants to play for the Lakers.

Howard to the Lakers makes the most sense, because he says he wants to play somewhere warm, and in a big market, and for a winning, contending team. The Lakers could trade Bynum for him, giving Orlando a good return, or at least better than they got for Shaq. I think Howard has actually said he wants to play for the Lakers.

It definitely might happen, but i hoping it wouldnt. Im really getting sick and tired of these high-profile teams always getting elite players and being constant contenders. Hopefully with the hard cap (if it is agreed upon) brings these teams down.

It definitely might happen, but i hoping it wouldnt. Im really getting sick and tired of these high-profile teams always getting elite players and being constant contenders. Hopefully with the hard cap (if it is agreed upon) brings these teams down.

A hard cap would bring the players down and reward the league for its lack of revenue sharing, while allowing teams like the Lakers and Knicks to get away with pure banditry (They both earn at least $150 million per year in local TV money). There's no revenue sharing in ticket money or local TV money, so some teams, the Pacers for example, barely scrape by, and others earn tens of millions no matter how high their payroll.

A hard cap would bring the players down and reward the league for its lack of revenue sharing, while allowing teams like the Lakers and Knicks to get away with pure banditry (They both earn at least $150 million per year in local TV money). There's no revenue sharing in ticket money or local TV money, so some teams, the Pacers for example, barely scrape by, and others earn tens of millions no matter how high their payroll.

Thanks for the info. My knowledge on cap space is that it only limits teams with less money bargaining power, so teams with more money usually get the better players.

Orlando will use Utah as an example of what to do right with Howard. They will play the season out. If Orlando is not doing well, and Howard wants to leave, they will pull a trade to a team that has assets. If I was Orlando I would want the best chance to rebuild and unload some of my dead weight. That would include both Hedo and Gilbert.

I don't see Orlando taking Amir and Barbosa for Howard.. that's not enough. If you used JV, and our top pick in 2012 or 2013 then I can see it. If they needed to include Turk then that would be a NO. If they included Arenas then we won't have the assets to help make that deal happen - unless we introduce a 3rd team which makes this exponentially more difficult.

This is why I don't see this ever happening. I don't think Howard would want to play for a team like Toronto (not necessarily because of the location, and more so because we suck). I don't see Orlando wanting any of our assets and they would have a problem unloading Turk and/or Arenas. My guess is that LA will be front runner. They have the assets to swing a deal, and take on either Turk or Arenas.

This way Howard can play with Paul. NO has some good draft prospects that they could use as well (eg, 2012 and 2013 picks).

Don't get me wrong though - I would love to see Howard in a Raptors uniform. I just don't see it happening. Plus in a new CBA they might get rid of the sign and trade. So any GM trading with Orlando would have be certain that Howard resigns as a FA or else that would be a stupid deal.

To put an optimistic spin on this though.. if the new CBA provides an amnesty clause, and Orlando is able to wipe out Arena's contract without much of a cap hit, then they wouldn't need to get rid of Arenas or Turk when trading Howard. This will give the Raptors a greater chance at the Howard sweepstakes, but I'm not convinced that he would want to come here. Orlando is a better team then the Raptors, and he seems to like it there.